WASHINGTON D.C. (WHTC-AM/FM) – Just as youngsters in the past used a “checklist” to log what baseball cards they have collected, some Congress members have come up with a “checklist” to log just what needs to be done to reopen the American economy that has been closed due to the COVID 19 situation.
The 50-member “Problem Solvers” caucus – made up equally of 25 Republican and 25 Democratic members – submitted on Monday its Reopening and Recovery “Back to Work” Checklist, a multi-prong, science-based, data-driven proposal focused on reopening America safely and reigniting the economy, for consideration by House and Senate leadership, as well as the Trump Administration.
Dealing with the dilemma of balancing constitutional rights while addressing health needs is central to the work of this caucus, says Dearborn Democratic Congresswoman Debbie Dingell. “This is a group that, I think, thinks a lot about it,” she remarked during a virtual press briefing. “How do we protect the very basic liberties of our democracy while protecting the common good at the same time?”
“We’re all in this together,” said Rep. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph). “We want to work together to get things done. I’m glad to be part of this group, and we’re going to continue to work together, as we should, to make a difference for all of us.”
According to the opening statement of the checklist, “the benchmarks we must meet to reopen America … will require a regional, industry by-industry, incremental, multi-faceted, and data-driven approach. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all vision, but rather a dynamic multi-prong, multi-front strategy combining health, economic rescue, and stimulus plans for our nation’s immediate future.”
